


Smooth is the descent

by erza155



Category: DC Animated Universe, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons), Justice Lords - Fandom
Genre: Justice Lords, M/M, Smooth the descent and easy is the way, Universe Alteration, title from the aeneid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 12:49:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12388422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erza155/pseuds/erza155
Summary: OR I love you (even when I shouldn’t) or 5 times Bruce stood by Clark in morally corrupt times





	Smooth is the descent

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yamada_CZ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yamada_CZ/gifts).
  * Inspired by [( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/330375) by yamad-a. 



> Lords fic written for @yamad-a on the tumblr. Her art is gorgeous. Check it out.  
> Beta'd by the lovely VaticanSaint, know here on the archive as UndeservingHero

1\. Lex’s death  
“It had to be done,” Bruce says. He doesn’t know whether he’s reassuring Diana or himself. They’re all shocked at first that Superman would go this far, but he’s not. He only has one request to make of Kal.

“No more killing.”

“Bruce-,” Kal begins, his hands reaching out to touch Bruce, but he’s brushed away casually.

“No more killing, Kal. I won’t stand for it.” His shoulders tense. He understands that he has his rules and that other people don’t always follow them, but this isn’t something he can budge on. “I can stand by your side on almost anything else. But I can’t stand by you if you do this. I can’t.”

Kal walked over to him and wrapped his arms around Bruce’s waist. “I’m sorry you had to witness that. I’m so very sorry, but I hope you understand, it had to be done. He took Barry from us.”

Bruce sighs. “This once, I understand. But Kal, no more killing. It’s not you, and it’s not me, and I won’t stand for it. Lex’s death was necessary, yes, but no more. I need you to promise me, Kal.”

Kal nuzzles in closer into his neck. “I promise, Bruce. No more killing.”

It’s a promise that Kal tries really hard to keep, but sometimes, he falters. And Bruce is always there to remind him of why he shouldn’t.

2\. Subjugation  
The world and the Justice League are divided into 3 factions.

Those who are ok with it (it, of course, being Luthor’s death. Or depending on who you’re asking, Superman’s preliminary action or his self-defense); ‘It had to be done,’ they argue, ‘Nothing else has stopped him.’ (Or would have stopped him, Bruce thinks but doesn’t bother to say. It’s not his job to add fuel to the fire.)  
Those who are against it; ‘That’s not his right,’ they protest, ‘Who is he to judge.’ (Superman, the man who you all looked to not so long ago to solve your problems and now that he has, you disparage him for it. But once again, Bruce says nothing.)  
And those who have not made up their minds yet; they stay silent and watch.

But, “No more killing.” Kal always remembers the rules and plays by them. It’s what lets them get this far anyway.

The first lobotomy is a surprise, is what Bruce wishes he could say.

“I am sorry. But I did it for you, Bruce. He killed Jason. I couldn’t let him take anything else from you. I will not let him take you from me.”  
And the thing is, Kal does look apologetic. But for once, Bruce isn’t sure what he’s sorry about. Is he sorry that he lobotomized the Joker or is he sorry that Bruce isn’t too happy at the moment? He doesn’t like the feeling.

‘Murderer,’ they called him. ‘Dictator,’ they whispered. ‘Conqueror,’ they didn’t dare think. But Bruce understood. Kal was doing what he thought needed to be done. He had an unfair and heavy burden thrust onto his shoulders, and he was trying his best not to let anyone else get killed.  
‘Savior’ some thought. But Bruce didn’t know. It was all too easy to get lost in the fantasy of Superman as the savior of the human race. Bruce spent a lot of time thinking in these past few months. He’s drawn the necessary conclusions. Some people might find what Superman was doing a bit hard to stomach but Bruce understood. It had to be done. They couldn’t live in a chaotic world like the one before.

He has his doubts. It’s part of who he is, but Kal makes them easy to forget.

3\. Kryptonite  
“Did you really think you could get away with this?” he asks her. He’s not surprised that she’s the one behind this. She was always more resourceful than they gave her credit for.

Mercy bares her teeth at him in some form of smirk. He has her chained up like a wild animal, but she’s still fighting. He could see why Lex would keep her around. She was like a saner version of Harleen.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen. You used to be so great, and now look at you. The dog of some alien.”

“I am his knight and protector. I will do whatever is necessary to protect him,” he says. What he doesn’t say is much clearer ‘I love him.’  
#  
“They’re really creative, you know,” Superman chuckles.

Bruce glares at him. “Real funny. Why are you playing with that? It’s not a toy and you could hurt yourself.”

“I know, dear heart. But honestly, it’s been so long since I’ve felt this. It’s almost like being drunk. You haven’t pulled kryptonite on me since before Lex’s death, and you don’t trust anybody else to do it.”

Bruce sighs. He would reprimand Superman, but at the moment he’s too busy trying to think of a plan to keep this idiot safe in the immediate future. Because he knew Mercy. Just because she had been caught didn’t mean that she didn’t have contingencies in place.

“I know you’re worried, B. Don’t be. When we started all this, we made sure to have contingencies in place. This is nothing. These heretics and disturbers of the peace will always be nothing.” Kal presses a kiss to the corner of Bruce’s lips. “It doesn’t matter what they do. We’ll be forever.”

4\. Before  
The shadows in his eyes were getting darker. Bruce couldn’t understand how other people had been missing this recent development, but it was not his place to say anything. Not yet, at least.

Kal was nearing his breaking point, and Bruce was the only one noticing. It would only take one thing to push him over the edge. Bruce had been planning for this for a long time, but after working with Kal-El, after knowing him for so long, after becoming friends—he wasn’t sure he could do what needed to be done.

“I’m just so tired, B. it’s like no matter what I do, it’s not enough.”

Bruce didn’t say anything. He didn’t know what to say. He had limited himself to Gotham, but Kal had the whole world on his shoulders.

“B, I’m afraid of what I might become. I don’t know how long I can keep this going. Keep the boy scout façade up.”

“You never even got your first merit badge anyway,” Bruce acquiesced.

Kal chuckled. “Wow, it must be getting bad if even the Batman is cracking jokes.”

“That’s not it. You’re a good man Kal. The best I know. You’re strong, and you can get through this. Just think about your parents, Lois, and the League. Remember the reason why you’re doing all this. And we both know that I’m here as a contingency.”

That conversation at the cave stood at the forefront of his mind. If he had known where it would have led—would he truly have done anything different?  
5\. Forever  
Kal was marrying Lois today. He didn’t look too happy about that.

Bruce took a moment to marvel at how they’d changed. Years ago, this had been one of Kal’s greatest dreams. One of his crowning achievements, so to speak.

Now, he stood staring at a floor length mirror, frowning. He was in full Lord Superman regalia, but he was fiddling with his gauntlets. He sighed. He made a move to apologize once more.

“I-,” he began.

“Don’t,” Bruce interrupted him. “I understand. You need to do this, Kal, it’ll help sell the image. Help them believe. You love her.”

“Loved,” Kal replied. “Past tense. She’s not what I need anymore.”

“Even so, we have our roles to play.”

“She doesn’t even understand me, B. She can’t see the bigger picture.”

“And she doesn’t need to. She just needs to be able to play along and pander to people.”

“I’m going to reshape the world into a better place. You’re the one who’s been helping me since day one. You’re the one I need by my side.”

Bruce steps closer to him, until his hand is slipping to the back of Kal’s neck to tug at the hairs of his nape.  
“You’re mine,” he whispers lowly, “And I am yours. But that’s no reason to be stupid. We both know it. Do what has to be done and then we can move on.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't do sequels. It's been 2 years since I've written anything concrete. Hope you enjoy. Questions, complaints, comments, and criticisms welcome.


End file.
